No Way Up Cast, Director, Plot, Trailer And More Details

The disaster genre used to be a Hollywood staple, with films like "The Towering Inferno" and "The Poseidon Adventure" dominating the 1970s landscape. However, in recent years, the genre has waned in the shadow of other styles of big blockbuster filmmaking.

Every so often, though, a disaster flick comes along that catches our attention, such as "Deepwater Horizon," "San Andreas," and "The Wave." Now we've got our eye on "No Way Up," which The Hollywood Reporter has described as a "rollercoaster combination of disaster movie and survival thriller."

Want to know more about the adrenaline-laced adventures that await? Well, keep on reading for everything we know so far about "No Way Up." Although we must say, if you worry a lot about plane crashes or are especially claustrophobic, this particular tale might be too much of a white-knuckle thriller for you.

According to Deadline, principal photography on "No Way Up" wrapped in May 2022. There's been precious little news of the film since then, however. Post-production work might be done — the trailer looks pretty polished, after all. But it could definitely still be ongoing. If we had to guess, we'd say most work on the film is done, save for some final tweaks.

What does this mean in terms of a release date? We're not sure. "No Way Up" might be headed towards us soon, or it might not be. We will say that it seems like the kind of flick that's perfect for the summer blockbuster season, which would make summer 2024 the best bet. The studio might want to get "No Way Up" in theaters before then, however. If enough work has progressed, it could potentially hit screens in winter or spring 2024. All this is speculation, of course, but with principal photography having been done for over a year, we assume we won't be waiting until, say, 2025.

"No Way Up" will follow an unlikely group of people who are thrust into survival mode after their flight goes down over the Pacific Ocean. Their plane sinks into the water and comes to rest on the lip of an abyssal underwater ravine. With a very limited air supply left for the passengers and crew members, the odds of surviving seem impossible. And that's when the sharks show up.

Director Claudio Fäh told The Hollywood Reporter, "'No Way Up' is a gripping story of survival in the extreme. A rollercoaster ride filled with suspense and thrills, with a group of wonderfully crafted characters who are driving this story, overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles. To bring them to life with a cast of this caliber is a wonderful opportunity." Based on the plot details we know so far, "gripping" and "extreme" seem like the perfect words to describe this horrifying scenario.

Kelsey Grammar was originally cast in "No Way Up," but he left the project thanks to scheduling issues. Colm Meaney subsequently took over the role; he will star alongside Phyllis Logan and Sophie McIntosh. Little is known about their roles so far, but the trailer indicates Meaney plays an incredibly capable man named Brandon who works as a bodyguard, Logan plays a doting-yet-steely grandmother, and McIntosh plays a young woman named Ava.

Meaney is best known for his work on several "Star Trek" projects, including "The Next Generation" and "Deep Space Nine," and has also appeared on TV shows like "Law & Order" and movies like "Get Him to the Greek." Logan tends to star in dramas and comedies. She is best known (and widely beloved) as Mrs. Hughes on "Downton Abbey" and Lady Jane Felsham on "Lovejoy." She recently joined the cast of the BBC's "Guilt," where she portrays a devoted mother. McIntosh, as the youngest lead, has the fewest credits to her name, but what she's amassed is impressive: She's enjoyed parts on "Brave New World," "Last Tango in Halifax," and "Bad Sisters."

Other cast members in "No Way Up" include Will Attenborough, Grace Nettle, James Carroll Jordan, Manuel Pacific, and Jeremias Amoore.

"No Way Up" will be directed by Claudio Fäh, a Swiss director who has an extensive history with action movies. After making a few short films in the 1990s, Fäh made his first full length feature in 2003, "Coronado." Since then, he's made movies like 2006's "Hollow Man 2," 2011's "Sniper: Reloaded," 2014's "Northmen: The Viking Saga," and 2017's "Sniper: Ultimate Kill." That's a pretty pulse-pounding list — perfect for a survival flick like "No Way Up."

According to IMDb, "No Way Up" is written by Andy Mayson. This will be his first writing credit, but it's definitely not his first time working on a movie. Mayson is co-CEO of Altitude Films, the outfit behind "No Way Up," and has been involved in a huge number of films, primarily as a producer. His name can be found attached to "Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed," "The Girl With All The Gifts," "SAS: Red Notice," "Let Me In," "Whitney," and "47 Meters Down: Uncaged." That's a pretty wide-ranging group of films, encompassing everything from biopics to zombie pictures. While he didn't serve as a writer on any of them, his familiarity with such a diverse group of projects bodes well for "No Way Up."

Mayson will also act as a producer on this film, alongside a number of other folks, including Annalise Davis, Will Clarke, Christelle Conan, Peter Touche, Carl Shepherd, and Mike Runagall. 

The trailer for "No Way Up" is a white-knuckle thrill ride. It all begins normally enough: People make their way through the airport, board the plane, and get settled in with their peanuts and soda. But then disaster strikes. As the seatbelt sign flashes, a flight attendant attempts to assuage passengers' fears — right before a gigantic hole is ripped in the plane's side. Seats are wrenched free, and screaming people are sucked into the sky. That's just the first part of this disaster, though — the second part arrives when the plane crashes into the ocean.

Trapped in an air pocket and all-too-aware of their dwindling oxygen supply, the survivors attempt to stay cool. But things get even more harrowing when sharks begin circling the twisted wreck. One particularly spine-tingling moment sees a SCUBA diver approach one of the plane's windows, only to be yanked out of frame, presumably by one of these toothy ocean predators. That's right: "No Way Up" is giving us sharks on a plane.